Wireless sensor device with wireless remote programming

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates generally to wireless sensor devices, and more particularly, to remote programming of wireless sensor devices. A wireless sensor device wirelessly may receive messages from a remotely located device to a wireless sensor device. The wireless sensor device may be programmed via the receive messages. In one example, a building controller may be programmed to wirelessly send one or more messages to a wireless sensor device in order to change the behavior of the wireless sensor device, even while the wireless sensor device and building controller are on-line and actively controlling a building control system. In some instances, a technician or installer may use a diagnostic or setup tool to send one or more messages to a wireless sensor device to change the behavior of the wireless sensor device. These are just some examples.

This is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/556,971, filed Jul. 24, 2012, entitled “WIRELESS SENSOR DEVICE WITHWIRELESS REMOTE PROGRAMMING”, which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates generally to wireless sensor devices, and moreparticularly, to remote programming of wireless sensor devices.

BACKGROUND

Wireless sensor devices are often used in control applications such asbuilding control applications. Such wireless sensor devices ofteninclude a sensor for sensing a condition in the building. The wirelesssensor device may wirelessly transmit the sensed condition to a remotelylocated controller, such as a remotely located building controller. Whenso provided, the remotely located building controller may use the sensedcondition to control a building system, such as an HVAC system, asecurity system, a fire detection system, or any other system.

SUMMARY

The disclosure relates generally to wireless sensor devices, and moreparticularly, to remote programming of wireless sensor devices. In somecases, it may be desirable to wirelessly program a wireless sensordevice from a remote location. For example, in some instances, abuilding controller may wirelessly send one or more messages to awireless sensor device in order to change the behavior of the wirelesssensor device, even while the wireless sensor device and buildingcontroller are on-line and actively controlling a building controlsystem. In some instances, a technician or installer may use adiagnostic or setup tool to send one or more messages to a wirelesssensor device to change the behavior of the wireless sensor device.These are just some examples.

In one illustrative embodiment, a building controller may be programmedto wirelessly send one or more messages to a wireless sensor device inorder to change a sleep algorithm used by the wireless sensor device. Inone example, a battery-powered wireless sensor device includes a batteryfor providing power to the wireless sensor device, a sensor for sensingone or more conditions in or around the wireless sensor device, awireless transceiver for wirelessly sending and receiving messagesto/from a remotely located device such as a remotely located buildingcontrol device, a memory for storing one or more parameter values and acontroller in communication with the battery, the sensor, the wirelesstransceiver and the memory.

In some instances, the controller may be configured to: switch thewireless sensor device between a lower power sleep mode and a higherpower awake mode, wherein in the lower power sleep mode, the wirelesssensor device does not send or receive messages to/from the remotelylocated device via the wireless transceiver; receive one or moremessages from the remotely located device via the transceiver of thewireless sensor device, wherein the one or more messages specify a sleepalgorithm to be used by the controller to determine when to switch thewireless sensor device between the lower power sleep mode and the higherpower awake mode; and subsequently switch between the lower power sleepmode and the higher power awake mode in accordance with the sleepalgorithm specified by the one or more messages from the remotelylocated device.

Alternatively, or in addition, the controller of the wireless sensordevice may be configured to: receive one or more parameter settingmessages from the remotely located device via the transceiver in thehigher power awake mode, wherein the one or more parameter settingmessages provide one or more parameter values, the one or more parametervalues stored into the memory; and determine when to switch between thelower power sleep mode and the higher power awake mode based on one ormore sleep algorithms, wherein at least one of the one or more sleepalgorithms is dependent upon one or more of the parameter valuesreceived from the remotely located device and stored in the memory.

Alternatively, or in addition, the controller of the wireless sensordevice may be configured to: receive one or more messages from aremotely located device via the transceiver, wherein the one or moremessages specify one or more rules for operating the wireless sensordevice; and operate the wireless sensor device in accordance with theone or more rules. In some cases, the one or more rules may define, atleast in part, a sleep algorithm that is used to determine when toswitch the wireless sensor device between the lower power sleep mode andthe higher power awake mode. Alternatively, or in addition, the one ormore rules may define how long to wait for an acknowledgement duringcommunication with the remotely located device, how often to transmitthe sensed condition, sometimes depending on the condition of thebattery. These are just some examples.

While wireless sensor devices are used as one example, it iscontemplated that the principles disclosed herein may be applied towireless building controllers such as wireless thermostats, wirelesszone controllers, wireless equipment interface modules, wirelesssecurity system controllers, wireless building control actuators such aswireless damper and valve actuators, and any other suitable wirelessbuilding control device, as desired.

The preceding summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of someof the features of the present disclosure and is not intended to be afull description. A full appreciation of the disclosure can be gained bytaking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as awhole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of thefollowing description of various embodiments in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an illustrative but non-limiting wirelesssensor device having a controller in wireless communication with aremotely located device.

While the disclosure is amenable to various modifications andalternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of examplein the drawing and will be described in detail. It should be understood,however, that the intention is not to limit aspects of the disclosure tothe particular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention isto cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION

The following description should be read with reference to the drawing.The description and drawing are meant to illustrative in nature. While abattery powered wireless sensor device is used as an example below, itis contemplated that the present disclosure can be applied to anysuitable device, as desired. For instance, the disclosure may be appliedto devices that are powered by a wall current or are plugged into otherdevices for power, rather than just battery powered. As another example,the disclosure may be applied to devices that control other devices,such as general purpose input/output (GPIO), rather than just sensordevices. In some cases, the disclosure may be applied to wirelessbuilding controllers such as wireless thermostats, wireless zonecontrollers, wireless equipment interface modules, wireless securitysystem controllers, wireless building control actuators such as wirelessdamper and valve actuators, and/or any other suitable wireless buildingcontrol device, as desired.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an illustrative but non-limiting wirelesssensor device 1 in wireless communication with a remotely located device10. In the example shown, the wireless sensor device 1 may operate onbattery power and, as such, may implement various algorithms to helpconserve battery power when possible. The wireless sensor device 1 mayinclude a sensor 3, such as a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, apressure sensor, a flow sensor, a motion sensor, an acoustical sensor, amagnetic sensor, a contact sensor, a light sensor, and/or any othersuitable sensor. The wireless sensor device 1 may sense an ambientcondition (e.g. temperature, humidity, etc.) in or around the wirelesssensor device 1. The wireless sensor device 1 may include a wirelesstransceiver 14 for wirelessly sending and receiving messages to/from aremotely located device 10, such as a remotely located buildingcontroller. In some instances, the remotely located device 10 may be adiagnostic or setup tool that may be used by a technician or installerto send one or more messages to the wireless sensor device 1.

In one example, the remotely located device 10 may be a buildingcontroller. The wireless sensor device 1 may send messages to thebuilding controller that includes a measure related to the conditionsensed by the sensor 3 of the wireless sensor device 1. The buildingcontroller may use the measure related to the sensed condition todetermine and then send one or more control signals 12 to a buildingcontrol system (not shown). In some instances, the building controlsystem may be, for example, an HVAC system, a security system, a firedetection system, and/or any other suitable building control system asdesired.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the wireless sensor device 1 may includea battery 2, which may be rechargeable or replaceable. In general, it isdesirable to lengthen the time between recharging or replacement of thebattery 2. The wireless sensor device 1 also includes a sensor 3 thatsenses one or more conditions in or around the wireless sensor device 1,a wireless transceiver 14 for wirelessly sending and receiving messagesto and/or from the remotely located device 10, and a memory 5 forstoring one or more parameter values.

The illustrative wireless sensor device 1 of FIG. 1 also includes acontroller 6. The controller 6 communicates with the battery 2, thesensor 3, the wireless transceiver 14 and the memory 5. With regard tothe battery 2, the controller 6 may received power from, and in somecases, monitor the current flowing from the battery 2 and/or the voltageprovided by the battery 2. In some cases, the controller 6 may determinean amount of life left in the battery 2. In some instances, thecontroller 6 may be programmed to operate differently depending on theamount of life left in the battery 2. For example, the controller mayincrease the time between when the sensed condition is transmitted tothe remotely located device 10 after the amount of life left in thebattery 2 falls below a threshold value. With regard to the sensor 3,the controller 6 may poll the sensor 3 at a particular time and mayreceive a reading from the sensor 3 in response. With regard to thewireless transceiver 14, the controller 6 may receive and interpretmessages that arrive through the wireless transceiver 14, and maycompose and transmit messages through the wireless transceiver 14. Withregard to the memory 5, the controller 6 may store and retrieveparticular parameter values, algorithms, and other data as needed.

In some cases, the controller 6 may be configured to switch the wirelesssensor device 1 between a lower power sleep mode and a higher powerawake mode. In the lower power sleep mode, the wireless sensor device 1may not send or receive messages to/from the remotely located device 10via the wireless transceiver 14. In the higher power awake mode, thecontroller 6 may be configured to send and/or receive one or moremessages to/from the remotely located device 10 via the wirelesstransceiver 14. In some instances, the “lower power sleep mode” and the“higher power awake mode” discussed herein may be thought of as being a“quiet” mode and a “talking” mode, respectively, where being “quiet” canhave the potential advantages of saving power, preserving wirelessand/or wired channel capacity, and/or preventing unneeded processing ofdata.

In some instances, the one or more messages from the remotely locateddevice 10 may specify a sleep algorithm that is to be used by thecontroller 6 to determine when to switch the wireless sensor device 1between the lower power sleep mode and the higher power awake modeduring subsequent operation of the wireless sensor device 1. Thecontroller 6 may be configured to subsequently switch between the lowerpower sleep mode and the higher power awake mode in accordance with thesleep algorithm specified by the one or more messages from the remotelylocated device 10.

In some cases, the sensor 3 may provide a sensor signal 3 a that encodesa measure related to the sensed condition in or around the wirelesssensor device 1. In some cases, the sleep algorithm may use, at least inpart, the sensor signal 3 a to determine when to switch the wirelesssensor device 1 between the lower power sleep mode and the higher powerawake mode. Alternatively, or in addition, the sleep algorithm may use ameasure related to a rate of change of the sensor signal 3 a todetermine when to switch the wireless sensor device 1 between the lowerpower sleep mode and the higher power awake mode. The one or moremessages may identify a desired sleep algorithm. It is contemplated thatthe sleep mode may be communicated and switched even while the wirelesssensor device 1 and building controller 10 are on-line and activelycontrolling a building control system.

In some cases, the wireless sensor device 1 may include a batterycondition monitor 7 that provides a measure related to the currentcharge condition of the battery 2. In some cases, the sleep algorithmmay use, at least in part, a measure related to the current chargecondition of the battery 2 to determine when to switch the wirelesssensor device between the lower power sleep mode and the higher powerawake mode. In some instances, the sleep algorithm may increase the timethe wireless sensor device 1 is in the lower power sleep mode relativeto the higher power awake mode as the condition of the battery 2deteriorates over time and/or crosses a threshold value.

In some cases, the controller 6, through the transceiver 4, mayestablish communication with the remotely located device 10 via awireless link and/or wireless network. In some cases, the sleepalgorithm may keep the wireless sensor device 1 in the higher powerawake mode until the controller 6 establishes communication with theremotely located device 10 via the wireless link or wireless network.

In some instances, the controller 6 may be configured to receive one ormore parameter setting messages from the remotely located device 10 viathe wireless transceiver 14 in the higher power awake mode. The one ormore parameter setting messages may provide one or more parametervalues, which may be stored in memory 5. In some cases, the controller 6may determine when to switch between the lower power sleep mode and thehigher power awake mode based on one or more sleep algorithms that readup or otherwise are dependent upon one or more of the parameter values.For example, and in some instances, at least one of the one or moresleep algorithms uses a sleep interval that corresponds to a sleep timebetween each of two or more successive higher power awake modes. In somecases, at least one of the parameter values of the parameter settingmessages may correspond to the sleep interval. In another example, atleast one of the one or more sleep algorithms may use a sleep intervalfor a set number of sleep periods. The parameter values of the parametersetting messages may set one or both of the sleep interval (e.g. 10seconds) or the number of sleep periods (28800 sleep periods, whichwould set the sleep interval to be 10 seconds for the next 8 hours). Newparameter values may be sent via one or more subsequent parametersetting messages to set a different sleep interval and/or a differentperiod of time, as desired.

In some cases, the remotely located device 10 may be a buildingcontroller (e.g. HVAC Controller) that stores and executes aprogrammable schedule such as a programmable temperature schedule. Thetemperature schedule may include a more energy efficient set pointduring a scheduled unoccupied time period and a less energy efficientset point during a scheduled occupied time period. The HVAC controllermay send one or more first parameter setting messages to the wirelesssensor device 1 that specify a first sleep interval in response toentering an unoccupied time period of the schedule, and may send one ormore second parameter setting messages that specify a second sleepinterval in response to entering a subsequent occupied time period ofthe schedule, even while the wireless sensor device 1 and the HVACcontroller are on-line and actively controlling a building controlsystem (e.g. HVAC system).

In some cases, the controller 6 of the wireless sensor device 1 mayinclude a rules based engine that controls the operation of at leastpart of the wireless sensor device 1 according to a number of rules.When so provided, the wireless sensor device 1 may receive one or moremessages from the remotely located device 10 via the wirelesstransceiver 14 that specify one or more rules. The rules may be storedin the memory 5. The rules based engine of the controller 6 may read upthe rules from the memory 5 and control the operation of at least partof the wireless sensor device 1 according to the received rules. In somecases, the one or more rules may define, at least in part, a sleepalgorithm that is used to determine when to switch the wireless sensordevice 1 between the lower power sleep mode and the higher power awakemode. In some cases, the transceiver 4 communicates with the remotelylocated device via a wireless network that includes a communicationprotocol that requires an acknowledgement to acknowledge a communicationacross the wireless network. The one or more rules may define how longto wait for an acknowledgement. In some cases, the controller 6 isconfigured to transmit a measure related to the one or more sensedconditions via the wireless transceiver 14. The one or more rules maydefine, at least in part, how often to transmit the measure. In somecases, the wireless sensor device 1 may include a battery conditionmonitor 7 that provides a measure related to the current chargecondition of the battery 2. The one or more rules may define, at leastin part, how often to transmit the measure based on the current chargecondition of the battery 2. Use of a rules based engine may simplify thedefinition, transmission and subsequent programming of the wirelesssensor device 1.

An illustrative method for operating a wireless sensor device 1 mayinclude wirelessly receiving one or more first messages from theremotely located device 10 via the wireless transceiver 14, wherein theone or more first messages may specify a first sleep algorithm that isused by the controller 6 to determine when to switch the wireless sensordevice 1 between the lower power sleep mode and the higher power awakemode. The method may then execute the first sleep algorithm specified bythe one or more first messages from the remotely located device 10 untilone or more subsequent second messages are received from the remotelylocated device 10 that specify a second sleep algorithm, whereupon, thesecond sleep algorithm specified by the one or more subsequent secondmessages may be executed in place of the first sleep algorithm.

In some cases, after receiving the one or more second messages, thewireless sensor device 1 may wirelessly receive one or more thirdmessages from the remotely located device 10 via the wirelesstransceiver 14. The one or more third messages may specify a third sleepalgorithm that is used by the controller 6 to determine when to switchthe wireless sensor device between the lower power sleep mode and thehigher power awake mode. The controller may then execute the third sleepalgorithm specified by the one or more third messages from the remotelylocated device 10 in place of the second sleep algorithm. In some cases,the first sleep algorithm allows more sleep time than the second sleepalgorithm.

Having thus described several illustrative embodiments of the presentdisclosure, those of skill in the art will readily appreciate that yetother embodiments may be made and used within the scope of the claimshereto attached. It will be understood, however, that this disclosureis, in many respect, only illustrative. Changes may be made in details,particularly in matters of shape, size, arrangement of parts, andexclusion and order of steps, without exceeding the scope of thedisclosure. The disclosure's scope is, of course, defined in thelanguage in which the appended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A battery-powered wireless sensor device having ahigher power awake mode and a lower power sleep mode, thebattery-powered wireless sensor device for use with a remotely locatedHVAC controller that executes a programmable schedule that includes ascheduled unoccupied time period and a scheduled occupied time period,the battery-powered wireless sensor device, comprising: a battery forproviding power to the wireless sensor device; a sensor for sensing oneor more conditions in or around the wireless sensor device; a wirelesstransceiver for wirelessly sending and receiving messages to/from theremotely located HVAC controller, wherein in the lower power sleep mode,the wireless sensor device does not send or receive messages to/from theremotely located HVAC controller via the wireless transceiver; acontroller in operative communication with the sensor and the wirelesstransceiver, the controller configured to operate the wireless sensordevice such that: during the scheduled unoccupied time period of theprogrammable schedule, the controller operating the wireless sensordevice in the lower power sleep mode for an unoccupied sleep intervalfollowed by operating in the higher power awake mode, and thenrepeating; and during the scheduled occupied time period of theprogrammable schedule, the controller operating the wireless sensordevice in the lower power sleep mode for an occupied sleep intervalfollowed by operating in the higher power awake mode, and thenrepeating; wherein the occupied sleep interval is shorter than theunoccupied sleep interval.
 2. The battery-powered wireless sensor deviceof claim 1, wherein at least part of the programmable schedule of theremotely located HVAC controller is communicated from the remotelylocated HVAC controller to the battery-powered wireless sensor devicevia the wireless transceiver.
 3. The battery-powered wireless sensordevice of claim 2, wherein at least part of the programmable schedule ofthe remotely located HVAC controller is communicated from the remotelylocated HVAC controller to the battery-powered wireless sensor devicevia the wireless transceiver while the remotely located HVAC controlleris on-line and actively controlling a building control system.
 4. Thebattery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein thecontroller is configured to receive one or more messages from theremotely located HVAC controller during a higher power awake mode of thewireless sensor device that specifies that the HVAC controller isentering a scheduled unoccupied time period of the programmableschedule.
 5. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 4,wherein the controller is configured to receive one or more messagesfrom the remotely located HVAC controller during a higher power awakemode of the wireless sensor device that specifies that the HVACcontroller is entering a scheduled occupied time period of theprogrammable schedule.
 6. The battery-powered wireless sensor device ofclaim 1, wherein: during the scheduled unoccupied time period of theprogrammable schedule, the wireless sensor device remains in the higherpower awake mode until communication is established with the remotelylocated HVAC controller before repeating and returning to the lowerpower sleep mode; and during the scheduled occupied time period of theprogrammable schedule, the wireless sensor device remains in the higherpower awake mode until communication is established with the remotelylocated HVAC controller before repeating and returning to the lowerpower sleep mode.
 7. The battery-powered wireless sensor device of claim1, wherein the controller increases the occupied sleep interval and/orthe unoccupied sleep interval if a remaining charge on the batterycrosses a threshold value.
 8. The battery-powered wireless sensor deviceof claim 1, wherein the programmable schedule is a programmabletemperature schedule.
 9. The battery-powered wireless sensor device ofclaim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a temperature sensor.
 10. Thebattery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 1, wherein in the lowerpower sleep mode, the controller is configured to switch the sensor intoa lower power mode.
 11. A battery-powered wireless sensor device havinga higher power awake mode and a lower power sleep mode, thebattery-powered wireless sensor device for use with a remotely locatedHVAC controller that executes a temperature schedule that includes amore energy efficient set point during a scheduled unoccupied timeperiod and a less energy efficient set point during a scheduled occupiedtime period, the battery-powered wireless sensor device comprising: abattery for providing power to the wireless sensor device; a sensor forsensing one or more conditions in or around the wireless sensor device;a wireless transceiver for wirelessly sending and receiving messagesto/from the remotely located HVAC controller, wherein in the lower powersleep mode, the wireless sensor device does not send or receive messagesto/from the remotely located HVAC controller via the wirelesstransceiver; a controller in operative communication with the sensor andthe wireless transceiver, the controller configured to: receive one ormore first messages during the higher power awake mode of the wirelesssensor device that specifies an unoccupied sleep interval sent by theHVAC controller in response to the HVAC controller entering anunoccupied time period of the temperature schedule, and in response,operate the wireless sensor device in the lower power sleep mode for thespecified unoccupied sleep interval followed by operating in the higherpower awake mode, and then repeating; and receive one or more secondmessages during the higher power awake mode of the wireless sensordevice that specifies an occupied sleep interval sent by the HVACcontroller in response to the HVAC controller entering an occupied timeperiod of the temperature schedule, and in response, operate thewireless sensor device in the lower power sleep mode for the specifiedoccupied sleep interval followed by the higher power awake mode, andthen repeating; wherein the occupied sleep interval is shorter than theunoccupied sleep interval.
 12. The battery-powered wireless sensordevice of claim 11, wherein the unoccupied sleep interval and theoccupied sleep interval each correspond to a sleep time between two ormore successive higher power awake modes.
 13. The battery-poweredwireless sensor device of claim 11, wherein: during the scheduledunoccupied time period of the temperature schedule, the wireless sensordevice remains in the higher power awake mode until communication isestablished with the remotely located HVAC controller before repeatingand returning to the lower power sleep mode; and during the scheduledoccupied time period of the temperature schedule, the wireless sensordevice remains in the higher power awake mode until communication isestablished with the remotely located HVAC controller before repeatingand returning to the lower power sleep mode.
 14. The battery-poweredwireless sensor device of claim 11, wherein the controller increases theoccupied sleep interval and/or the unoccupied sleep interval if aremaining charge on the battery crosses a threshold value.
 15. Thebattery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 11, wherein the sensorcomprises a temperature sensor.
 16. The battery-powered wireless sensordevice of claim 11, wherein in the lower power sleep mode, thecontroller is configured to switch the sensor into a lower power mode.17. A battery-powered wireless sensor device comprising: a battery forproviding power to the wireless sensor device; a sensor for sensing oneor more conditions in or around the wireless sensor device; a wirelesstransceiver for wirelessly sending and receiving messages to/from abuilding controller that is configured to service a building, whereinthe building controller has an occupied state for when the building isexpected to be occupied and an unoccupied state for when the building isexpected to be unoccupied; a controller in operative communication withthe sensor and the wireless transceiver, the controller is configured tooperate the wireless sensor device in accordance with a first sleepschedule during the unoccupied state of the building controller and inaccordance with a second sleep schedule, different from the first sleepschedule, during the occupied state of the building controller, whereinthe first sleep schedule and the second sleep schedule each define aschedule of when the wireless sensor device is in a lower power sleepmode and a high power awake mode.
 18. The battery-powered wirelesssensor device of claim 17, wherein: the first sleep schedule isconfigured to operate the wireless sensor device in the lower powersleep mode for an unoccupied sleep interval followed by operating in thehigher power awake mode, and then repeating; the second sleep scheduleis configured to operate the wireless sensor device in the lower powersleep mode for an occupied sleep interval followed by operating in thehigher power awake mode, and then repeating; and wherein the occupiedsleep interval is different from the unoccupied sleep interval.
 19. Thebattery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 18, wherein in thehigher power awake mode, the controller is configured to transmit one ormore conditions sensed by the sensor to the building controller.
 20. Thebattery-powered wireless sensor device of claim 17, wherein the sensorcomprises one or more of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, apressure sensor, a flow sensor, a motion sensor, an acoustical sensor, amagnetic sensor, a contact sensor, and a light sensor.